And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Parallel translations
- WEB When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit!
- BSB When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
- NKJV And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
- NASB And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
- NLT Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus breathes on the disciples and tells them to receive the Holy Spirit. He gives the Spirit who empowers their mission.
Overview
The act of breathing recalls God breathing life into Adam (Genesis 2:7), signaling new creation. Christians differ over how this relates to Pentecost (Acts 2): some see a foretaste or symbolic act, others an initial impartation later filled out at Pentecost. Either way, the risen Christ is the giver of the Spirit who alone enables gospel ministry.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Job 33:4The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
- Gen 2:7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
- Acts 8:15Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
- John 7:39(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
- Acts 2:38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
- Ezek 37:9Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
- Acts 19:2He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
- Ps 33:6By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
- Acts 4:8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
- Acts 2:4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
- John 14:16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
- Gal 3:2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
- John 15:26But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
- Acts 10:47Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
- John 16:7Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 20:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.